Overuse injuries account for fifty percent of all youth sports injuries, but half may be preventable, says the National Athletic Trainers' Association in a new position statement.
The NATA says there are five ways parents, coaches and athletes can help to reduce the number of repetitive stress injuries in children and adolescents.
1. Proper education and supervision.
2. Pre-participation physical exams (PPEs). Student athletes should undergo a PPE [3] before beginning a new sport (or prior to the start of a new sports season) to screen for potential risk factors, including:
3. Rule changes and participation limits. Studies suggest that the most consistent predictor of overuse injury is the sheer volume of sports activity, whether measured as number of throws/pitches [4] or quantity of time participating. The NATA recommendations:
4. Training and conditioning programs. Proper training and conditioning, both before and during the season, may prevent overuse injuries:
5. Delayed sports specialization.
In addition to the direct and indirect medical costs, overuse injuries also result in lost participation time, numerous physician visits and lengthy -- and often ongoing -- rehabilitation. Furthermore, athletes who sustain recurrent overuse injuries may stop participating in sports and recreational activities, which can add to the increasing number of sedentary and obese individuals across the country.
"Repetitive stress on muscles and joints without adequate and appropriate conditioning and rest can result in chronic or overuse injuries in athletes of any age," said athletic trainer Tamara McLeod, PhD, ATC, associate professor of the Athletic Training Program at A.T. Still University and lead author of the position statement. "This situation in children is complicated by the growth process, which can result in a unique set of injuries among pediatric athletes."
Among young athletes, overuse injuries can include Osgood Schlatter's disease and Sever's disease among other growth-related disorders; medial epicondylitis, commonly called little league elbow; patellofemoral pain syndrome; as well as stress fractures [21]caused by overuse and/or repetitive stress over time.
Source: Valovich McLeod TC, Decoster LC, Loud KJ, Micheli LJ, Parker JT, Sandrey MA, White C. National Athletic Trainers' Association Position Statement: Prevention of Pediatric Overuse Injuries. J Ath. Tr. 2011;46(2):206-220.
Posted March 15, 2011
Links:
[1] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/3344
[2] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/860
[3] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/2025
[4] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/816
[5] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/556
[6] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/1474
[7] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/3037
[8] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/3242
[9] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/2810
[10] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/2481
[11] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/2510
[12] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/2606
[13] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/287
[14] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/291
[15] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/1215
[16] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/1167
[17] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/1235
[18] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/1350
[19] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/3306
[20] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/3239
[21] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/3295
[22] https://mail.momsteam.com/team-of-experts/overuse-injuries-an-unfortunate-by-product-of-youth-sports-boom
[23] https://mail.momsteam.com/sports/baseball/safety/preventing-pitching-injuries-in-youth-baseball
[24] https://mail.momsteam.com/health-safety/general-safety/injury-prevention/overuse-injuries-youth-sports-competitive-culture
[25] https://mail.momsteam.com/health-safety/general-health-safety/injury-prevention/injury-risk-product-athletes-age-degree-sport-
[26] https://mail.momsteam.com/successful-parenting/early-sport-specializiation-no-guarantee-of-future-success
[27] https://mail.momsteam.com/successful-parenting/early-sport-specialization-may-interfere-with-healthy-child-development-increase-social-isolation
[28] https://mail.momsteam.com/health-safety/overuse-injuries-signs-symptoms-pain
[29] https://mail.momsteam.com/health-safety/coaching-education-programs-for-high-school-and-youth-coaches